The Molecular Therapeutics of Cancer conference has been held annually since 1978 (originally under the name of Chemotherapy of Experimental and Clinical Cancer). Since 2008, the conference has been organized by the Cancer Molecular Therapeutics Research Association. The conference continues to provide a highly interactive forum for the presentation and discussion of novel drugs, drug targets and the preclinical and clinical development of novel therapeutics. Meeting participants represent a diverse range of interests, spanning the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology companies, and clinical and academic institutions. The meeting seeks to promote advancements in the treatment of human cancer through the presentation of novel, unpublished work, and to focus on the ways these advancements can be brought to the service of patient care. The informality of the meeting venue, coupled with the tradition of lively and extensive discussions, provides a unique opportunity for interactions between individuals from multiple disciplines. The 2009 meeting will be held at Stanford University and continue the trend of addressing new ideas, questions and solutions at the forefront of cancer therapy focusing on targets and strategies. Topics will include: targeting p53, systems biology and large datasets, oncogene addiction, DNA repair, novel protein therapeutics, targeting transcription factors, IGF-1 active drugs, and a discussion on whether the concept of cancer stem cells is useful in developing new therapies. Funds from NIH are used to facilitate attendance by pre- and post-doctoral fellows. These trainees are an integral part of the program, particularly during the interactive poster sessions. Four trainees are nominated to present in an oral session and are offered funding to attend the next annual conference. Public Health Relevance: Public Health Statement The Molecular Therapeutics of Cancer conference is an annual, three and a half day meeting designed to promote information exchange, discussion and collaboration among scientists interested in the chemotherapy of cancer. The primary goal of the conference is to promote translational research by bringing together investigators from both academic and industrial environments who are involved in preclinical and clinical drug development together with basic scientists working on potential new targets for cancer chemotherapy. A second goal is to enhance the training of pre-doctoral and post-doctoral students in the translation of preclinical science into clinical trials. This is achieved by facilitating trainee participation in this conference thereby providing exposure to this important research area that is frequently not provided in standard academic training programs.